Expressing concern with "kongpa"

恐怕 (kǒngpà) can be used to express "I'm afraid".

Structure

"恐怕" comes at the beginning of the sentence. The meaning is similar to "perhaps" or "probably".

(Reason,) 恐怕 + Fact / Conclusion

Examples

• 明天 我 很 忙，恐怕 没 时间。Míngtiān wǒ hěn máng, kǒngpà méi shíjiān. I'm busy tomorrow. I'm afraid I don't have time.
• 已经 很 晚 了，恐怕 他 不 会 来 了。Yǐjīng hěn wǎn le, kǒngpà tā bù huì lái le. It's already very late. I'm afraid he's not coming.
• 工作 太 多 了，恐怕 今天 做 不 完。 Gōngzuò tài duō le, kǒngpà jīntiān zuò bù wán. The work is too much. I'm afraid I can't finish them all today.
• 饭 太 多 了，恐怕 我 吃 不 完。Fàn tài duō le, kǒngpà wǒ chī bù wán. The food is too much. I'm afraid I can't eat it all.
• 这样 做 恐怕 不行。Zhèyàng zuò kǒngpà bù xíng. I'm afraid it doesn't work this way.
• 恐怕 他 不 会 听 你 的 话。Kǒngpà tā bù huì tīng nǐ de huà. I'm afraid he won't listen to what you said.